1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses and methods for controlling image forming apparatuses, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Improvements to the power saving function allow an image forming apparatus to have, for example, a plurality of power saving functions as follows. An automatic sleep timer is a function of putting an image forming apparatus into a sleep state when the user has not used the image forming apparatus for a predetermined continuous period of time. An automatic sleep time is a function of automatically putting an image forming apparatus into a sleep state at a time designated by the user. An automatic shut-down timer is a function of performing a process of shutting down an image forming apparatus and thereby turning the image forming apparatus off when the user has not used the image forming apparatus for a predetermined continuous period of time. An automatic shut-down time is a function of performing a process of shutting down an image forming apparatus and thereby turning the image forming apparatus off at a time designated by the user.
An image forming apparatus having a finisher with a stapler can staple printed sheets. The finisher with a stapler provides a function of stapling printed sheets, a manual stapling function of stapling a bundle of sheets which is put by the user into a sheet insertion slot, separately from the printing operation of the image forming apparatus, and the like.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-107322 describes a finisher apparatus having a stapling function which is switched between automatic stapling and manual stapling, using a mode switch.
In the above image forming apparatus having a manual stapling function, when the manual stapling function and the power saving function are simultaneously enabled, the image forming apparatus is likely to shift to a power saving state during manual stapling. For example, if the automatic sleep timer expires or the automatic sleep time comes while the user is manually stapling, the image forming apparatus goes to the power saving state, so that the manual stapling function is interrupted. Also, if the automatic shut-down timer expires or the automatic shut-down time comes while the user is manually stapling, the image forming apparatus performs a shut-down process to turn itself off. Also, in this case, the manual stapling function is interrupted.
In addition, in the case of an image forming apparatus connected to a finisher, if the image forming apparatus shifts to a sleep state or a shut-down state, the execution of a function performed by the finisher is interrupted. Also, in an image forming apparatus having such a configuration, even when the user desires to use the finisher alone, it is necessary to cause the image forming apparatus to return from the sleep mode, which is not convenient for the user.